


Alone

by Insane1001



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-23 11:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3767005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane1001/pseuds/Insane1001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick made Daryl choose between the group and his brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone

Ricks stomach plummeted as he watched Daryl’s back as he moved away, towards his brother and away from him. How Daryl clasped onto Merle and Merle threw an arm around Daryl’s shoulders. Rick watched until Daryl and Merle were out of sight, turning he moved back to the vehicles.

Rick had made him choose Daryl couldn’t believe it Rick had made him choose between the brother who had taken care of him as a child, had practically raised him his blood and his new family the people who had treated him like he belonged the people that he had provided for and had learned to love. Daryl knew he couldn’t leave Merle again, he had already lost him once and he wasn’t going to let him disappear again. 

Daryl felt like he was gonna be sick as he walked away from Rick, walked away from the family that had accepted him, he didn’t look back as he and Merle disappeared into the tree’s and he didn’t look back when he knew there was enough woods between them to not see each other any more.

They didn’t come back, they kept moving back to the mountains were all this had started where they had lived in a world before this they set up a life they had a house they barricaded and made safe, trenches dug in to stop any walkers getting in, defenses set high. Daryl didn’t think about leaving until Merle died, going out fighting protecting his ass while he protected Merle’s the walker had gotten a jump on them and Merle had paid the price but all he said was  
“I went out fighting baby brother, know end it before I turn” Daryl had cried as he plunged a knife in his brothers head, as he watched the life go out as his eyes lost their light.

He burned his brother that night he watched him blacken then watched as he became ash and let the wind take him, he let the woods have his brother because that was where he belonged among the woods where he was the realest Merle, Merle could get the place he was at his brightest and where he could be himself.

Daryl left the next morning cross bow in his hand and the clothes on his back as he threw a match on the gasoline covered house and watched it catch alight and burn, he walked away heading for the bike he and his brother had done up in their spare time, didn’t turn when the house crashed down on itself, the moment he started the motor bike and felt the rumble of the engine he knew he was free.

He moved place to place helping people, taking out walkers, scavenging for supplies and water never staying in a place more than two days, the people he helped always offered him a place some where safe to stay he declined he couldn’t get used to the comfortable aura the houses had.

Some days he would be deep in the woods hunting, others would be on the roads miles stretched out in front of him and other times he would be on a highway filled with cars that he would have to move to make a clear path. 

He got used to the loneliness, the quietness, the way his own breathing sounded and the sound of his own voice as he muttered to himself. He became a lone wolf traveling by himself and providing for himself never turning to anyone else for help.

The months changed him, hardened him after a while the rumors started, survivors talked to survivors all telling tales of one lone man, an angel represented for the wings on his back and the crossbow in his arms, the lone wolf who helped everyone but didn’t let any one help him. He slowly became a legend among the survivors, they whispered about the way he fought, the way moved, the fact the crossbow he held was like an extension on his arm, how he had the deadliest aim and most of all how he never thought about his own safety first always the people he was helping.

He knew his group, Rick and the others would hear of him eventually, the word would spread and they would know it was Daryl because of the wings and the crossbow.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months and soon enough he had been alone for over a year, the bike had broken down months ago and Daryl had stuck to the woods, the deep woods that no one ever ventured into, the woods where people got lost and never found. He knew this place like he knew the back of his hand, the map in his head he knew the land marks, the way the tree’s grew. 

For awhile he hadn’t seen any survivors he had receded into himself, not talking not even to himself, he wasn’t expecting the next group of survivors in trouble he would come across would be Rick and his group, Daryl had taken down the walkers quick and easy knife or arrow through the head, the moment he had stopped surrounded by the carnage of the battle he had fought he knew they had recognized him.

He was covered in dirt and blood, his hair long, dirty and tangled and his clothes in tatters the vest the only thing he managed to keep well kept. He knew he looked like an animal a feral animal that had been kept outside to long. He observed them as they observed him, they had lost people and gained new people.

Rick had breathed his name, he didn’t move he couldn’t move there was no way he could join them know not after every thing, they had been separated to long, he didn’t belong with them any more he belonged in the woods alone and free protecting people he would suffocate with them there were too many people.

He turned planning on leaving when Rick had said his name again asking him to stay the night at least and he had nodded in agreement one night. The group the people he had once known swarmed him hugging him, greeting him with smiles. They were not expecting the harsh flinch they would get when moving to touch him, hug him.

Their faces at that had been heart broken and he knew that they knew he had been out here too long, his mind and body had become accustomed to being alone and to not being touched or spoken to. The way he had held himself spoke for him he was always on edge always ready for an attack from either human or walker. The only one who had no hesitation approaching him had been the little girl Carl had been holding Judith she had walked up to him snuggled into his chest and had murmured she had missed him.

Daryl had been gone when they woke up, he had disappeared in the early hours of the morning when it had still been dark out, he knew he would never see them again.

Time still passed and the rumors still spread they now included another, a wolf that he had managed to rescue and keep alive, the wolf became his companion the one to watch his back and the one he kept fed. He never did see Rick’s group again but he continued to help people and continued to take out walkers and the legend remained.


End file.
